Sweater Weather
by sassywriterchick
Summary: Gray Fullbuster loved Erza Scarlet and that was all there was to it. (A collection of GrayZa one-shots)
1. I Will Wait

I WAS WRITING SO MANY GRAYZA ONE-SHOTS I DECIDED TO MAKE A COLLECTION OKAY…. Who knows when it will get updated, because I have other multichaps that are a bigger priority…sadly.

_Nobody here's perfect_

_Oh, but everyone's to blame_

He had been waiting for her since he was eight years old.

Well, one could call it waiting, or one could call it staring at her when no one was looking, stammering like crazy whenever he tried to form small talk with her (and he usually ended up saying something like '_I love pineapples_!'), and worrying about her. Frequently. Didn't help that the beautiful Erza Scarlet was an S-Class mage with a taste for danger. Also, his team didn't exactly get the easy jobs… or situations.

It had started when his Mother took him to the town fair. He remembered very little from that day, everything rather washed out and faded as all memories were before his family died in the Deliora attack-but he could remember one part as brightly as it had happened yesterday. He had begged his Mother to let his future be told by one of the local wizards, a humble old woman wrapped in a shawl who drew everything she saw in the person's future. His Mother had been wary, perhaps because she didn't quite believe that fair wizards magic was valid. Still, maybe it was something in his pleading eyes that caused her to give in. He had scampered away as soon as she gave him the money, and didn't give her a chance to catch up.

The old woman had said nothing upon his arrival at her stall, merely took his hand and closed her eyes, her other hand scrawling upon the paper before her. He was nervous to see what his future could hold, wondering if it was good or bad. He paid the woman eagerly with his jewl when she was finished, seizing the drawing and darting away before any pleasantries could be exchanged. He had unfurled the drawing, and was instantly disappointed. Instead of seeing what he had hoped to see (him being the richest boy in all of Fiore) it was a drawing of a girl. He had fought the urge to tear up the paper to shreds, instead letting himself be captivated by her tiny beauty. The woman hadn't colored it in, but he still took in the short hair that fell to her chin, one eye narrowed in determination, the eye patch covering the other eye. A dress that looked more like a sack fell to her knees.

He had hid the drawing from his Mother, saying that he decided not to get his future told after all, instead picking out a nice treat from another vender. He always kept the drawing close however, and stared at it sometimes when he couldn't fall asleep. He used to wonder what color her hair was, her eyes were. Always wondering.

Deliora ruined his daydreams. He never found the picture among the rubble, and in the years that passed, after what happened to Ur… her lovely little face faded from his mind. And he found his way to Fairy Tail. He got older; he stopped trying to remember her face.

And then she came into the Guild. He still remembered that day, Cana's mocking voice saying he would be lucky, when honestly he couldn't remember the last time he actually had perceived the aura of luckiness.

Everyone turned around when they heard her quiet footsteps on the wooden floor. Gray was more stunned than everyone else though, because he knew that face. The pretty girl from his drawing was staring back at him. And her hair was scarlet. Such a beautiful scarlet. The color of wildflowers, something he didn't expect it to be. Her eyes, that beautiful brown. And he hated her. She reminded him of everything he'd lost, of everything that had changed.

_Erza Scarlet. _He had fought her many times before sinking into the soft sand beside the river's bed, his hands on his thighs as he gritted his teeth and gave in to being her friend. Somehow, something inside him always wanted to be more than her friend. She deserved someone like Jellal. Still, those three words rose to his lips whenever she touched him, whether it was an accidental brushing of shoulders, or a reassuring pat- or god forbid a hug. _Lucky. _Cana had said that to him on the day she came into his life with her tattered dress and shorn hair.

Yet she couldn't see his feelings for her, it didn't seem like anyone could. No one should. Because how could someone like him be in love with Erza? His teammate, his nakama. It was practically forbidden. And yet she was all he could see when he closed his eyes. She was all he could see ever.

He didn't want to go back to the guild. It had gotten harder after the seven years spent away, harder after Erza barely seemed to look at him. She was distracted, he could see that. Who couldn't?

So here he was, kicking at the beach sand in front of the ocean's pristine waves, an expression that could only be expressed as 'sour grapes' contorting his features. It hit him hard sometimes, her ignorance. He wanted to scream in her face that he was desperately in love with her, but he knew he would never work up the courage.

"You shouldn't be out here alone." Her voice speaks from behind him, smooth and calculated. Cool.

"I think I can handle myself." He answers curtly, not taking his eyes off from the horizon, although he thinks his shoulders have tensed noticeably. He's rather praying she will take her armor-clad ass back to the guild, so he doesn't have to revel in how close she is. How many feet it would take for him to stroll over and kiss her senseless. Of course, no one listens to his prayers.

She sinks down next to him, stretching her legs out in front of her. He notices she's not wearing shoes, a peculiar choice. Her pale feet look delicate outside of their brawny boots. She's far enough away that he doesn't feel like he's going to complexly lose it, but close enough for their knees to be brushing lightly against one another. He's wearing pants, but he swears he can feel the warmth through the light fabric.

"I know you can." She replies, her voice light as she surveys the horizon, containing the sinking sun and staining the sky various shades of pink and yellow. Her brown eyes are fixed on the sunset, and he can't help but think about how she's always looking at something but him.

"So why are you here?" he asks, not quite meaning to sound rude. He reaches a hand to muss up his black hair, an unconscious habit he's suddenly aware of. He moves his hand back to his lap.

"I thought you might be desiring some company." She speaks in that formal way of hers, the words articulated and stiff. He wonders where she's picked that up from, because it certainly isn't from her time at Fairy Tail.

"Thanks." He says stiffly, not quite looking her in the eyes. He can't really, not after they just got back from the disaster involving the clock pieces. Not with Fairy Tail still the weakest guild in Fiore. Somehow she makes him feel it's his fault, mostly because he wishes he could have protected the guild better than this.

"What is on your mind?" she inquires, brushing his shoulder playfully. He looks down at her, the contact making him blush. She's smiling up at him, with that beautiful half-smile of hers. He almost wants to draw her into a hug, but her next words ruin the moment for him. "Is it Juvia?"

It's not that he doesn't like Juvia, she is his _nakama_ (in some ways at least) but it's rather her stalk-ish nature in pursuing him. Maybe if she wasn't always talking about her fantasies involving him while he was in hearing distance…. Maybe it could have worked.

"No." he says quickly, "Just thinking about how much has changed," he waves a hand around to amplify his point, "these past seven years."

"Aren't we all?" she responds, this time her eyes faraway. "Especially after everything that's happened." He knows that it's shaken her, and if he's admitting to himself, it shook him to.

"Nothing can go back to the way it was." He agrees, laying back against the sand and stretching his arms above his head. Behind him is the old guild, and empty skeleton against the pink tinged sky. It used to be so full, and now it was so very empty. He liked the new guild all right, but he couldn't help but miss what had been lost.

"Seven years." Erza repeated slowly, lying back with him. "We should've, could've been married by now." The words surprise him, and he looks over at her in surprise. She's blushing. "To other people I mean." She quickly clarifies.

"Like Jellal?" he says before he can stop himself, the words rushing out of his mouth in one sarcastic wave. He hasn't meant to sound so condescending, but he knows that's exactly what he sounded like.

She doesn't answer him, just purses her lips like she disapproves of his words. After several minutes she finally speaks, "He's in prison." She reminds him coldly, "In case you'd forgotten. And I helped put him there."

"No you didn't." He argues, "He put himself in there."

"You could say that. Speaking of love lives, when are you going to make yourself clear to Juvia?" her eyes flicker towards him.

"There is nothing for me to declare to her that I haven't already said." He says, "Unlike you, Mira, and everyone in the whole damn guild thinks, I am not in love with her."

"I could have guessed that." She admits.

"Then why did you bring it up?"

"You brought up Jellal."

"Why did you really come out here?" he demands.

"Can't I just be a nice friend?" she raises one eyebrow. He gives her a pointed look and she rolls her eyes. "Fine. Natsu wanted to go on a mission tomorrow. I said I would ask you."

"Sure." He says, not even bothering to ask what it is. She gets up to leave, brushing the sand off her skirt and giving him on last forlorn look.

"You can always talk to me." She reminds him, and then leaves the beach. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes.

_You're wrong. _He wants to shout after her, wants to yell it in her face with everything he has. He can't tell her anything. He can't tell her the one thing that truly matters. Can't bring to his lips, can't even make himself think it. It drowns in his brain before the thought is even fully born. He doesn't quite want to admit to himself, but does it anyways. Because now it's blatantly obvious, just based on their conversation.

He's in love with Erza Scarlet. And Gray Fullbuster, feeling as useless as ever, can't do anything about it. It's killing him slowly, from the inside out. Strangling his every thought, his every word. She's in love with Jellal, that's obvious to him. He has to be. She most certainly isn't in love with him. She probably views him as a comrade, an annoying counterpart she had to deal with on a daily basis.

He pulls his shirt off over his head absently, biting his lip as he digs his toes into the sand. He rolls back his neck, feeling a little more relieved than before with his realization.

Because he'll always keep waiting for her, he decides. _Always._ No matter how long it takes.


	2. THE KISS

A/N: Okay yesterday I was so excited and crazy that I didn't actually explain the purpose of this story (I am such a genius)

I decided I'm going to try and update this story every day. I might upload a drabble, a one-shot, or even like a mini story—depending on stuff. I might miss a day, or a couple, because I do have school (and holidays woo) So that is why some of them are short like this one!

Also, you can send me a prompt (or request) if you want me to write a specific GrayZa moment. That would be extremely helpful dear readers.

GrayZa on!

…

Their first kiss was not like the books Lucy and Levy were always shrieking about. It did not involve Gray tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear and telling her she was beautiful, before they both leaned in and softly kissed to the backdrop of a sunset.

Instead it happened when both of their bodies were thrumming with adrenaline, as they had just ran from a gigantic monster—and defeated it. All of Team Natsu was collapsed on the ground, his or her breathing heavy as they tried to calm their racing hearts. Erza had sat up slowly, only to find that a certain Ice Mage was sitting up as well. Brown met dark blue. Their eyes bored into one another, and instantly they knew what they had determined at the same time—no matter how random it was. Her body lunged forward, and so did his as Lucy, Natsu and Wendy faded away, like ghosts on the horizon.

Erza pushed her warning thoughts away, the thoughts that were telling her this would only end in heartbreak, that he was probably thinking something different after all, she shoved aside the thoughts of Jellal and Juvia which swirled in her mind like fireflies.

They met in the middle, Erza's arms wrapping around his neck and wrenching his face towards hers so their lips met. She wasn't quite sure what she was doing, as her lips parted and her slim fingers ran through his inky locks. He didn't push her away like he feared, instead he drew her closer, his hands looping around her waist and pulling her near, until their bodies pressed against one another in—

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" Natsu's voice broke through their haze like a tornado rips through a storm, and Gray and Erza sprang apart.

Wendy was covering her eyes, Lucy looked shocked, but a smile was playing on the edges of her mouth and Natsu just looked pissed.

"Sorry," Erza murmured, suddenly ashamed of her rash actions.

"It's not fair that Ice Brain got his kiss before me!" Natsu protested, "Lucy, kiss me so we're even!"

"YOU PERVERT, GET AWAY FROM ME! NATSU I AM NOT-Mmpf."

Well, that was a surprising turn of events.


	3. Wendy

a/n: I quite honestly know that this is not the best one-shot in the world, but sadly school means I can't spend forever making it perfect (oh how I wish I could) anywho, this is for Genie For Your Wish, who wanted some GrayZa and Wendy because it's just freaking adorable and agh I wrote most of this in Creative Writing class and I was fangirling asdfghjkl.

Gray wasn't quite sure when he and Erza stopped being Wendy's nakama and started being more like the parents she hadn't had since Grandeeny.

It had started as them simply going out of there way to protect the small girl, pushing themselves in front of before any blows could hit her tiny body. Of course these parental tendencies could be put off as simply caring for the wellbeing of their youngest comrade.

It was when Fairy Hills flooded that their little family really shone.

…

Erza and Wendy (Carla was visiting the Exceeds with Happy) knocked on his door, their pajama bottoms soaked to their knees, the rest of their clothes uncomfortably damp. He automatically knew that some problem with the rain had occurred, as the storm had refused to let up for several days now.

"Our dorm rooms are up to our knees in water." Erza said by way of greeting, shoving past him into his house without asking permission.

"Come right in why don't you." Gray muttered, stepping aside so Wendy could trespass too.

"Sorry Gray-san!" The small blunette squeaked, but Gray merely ruffled her hair fondly, smiling down at her to let her know that it was fine. He was used to Erza being rude—in fact he was surprised that she knocked at all.

"I HAVE NO CHEESECAKE!" He called into the house.

"But you have strawberries!" He heard her excited voice sing back. Rolling his eyes, Gray snapped the door shut and glanced down at Wendy. The small girl was shivering violently, her little lips chapped.

"Hey Erz!" He said, pushing Wendy towards the heater in the corner of the room. "Did you salvage anything from your apartments?"

"Not yet." She answered, and he sighed. He wasn't about to let them both freeze to death under his watch, so—after making sure Wendy was safely by the heater and forcing Erza away from inspecting the strawberries so she could sit by the heater too—he went looking for a spare pair of pajamas, his own. It wasn't an easy task, seeing as he normally slept… with less than the average person usually wore to sleep, and he only had some that he'd gotten from various holidays and birthdays—before people realized it was hopeless to get him clothes.

Finally managing to scrounge up two pairs of pants and two hoodies, he moved back to the living room and placed the belongings in each girls hands.

"I am surprised you still have this many clothes." Erza laughed, and he glared at her.

"Ha Ha Ha very funny," He said, "Now go get changed."

"Thank you for the clothes Gray-san!" Wendy trilled, and Gray quickly put the clothes in the dryer and turned it on to the best of his ability. He looked to Erza, ready for her thanks, but she simply frowned.

"Did you know all the food in your fridge has been rotten for several weeks?" She questioned, and he stuck his tongue out at her. She knew full well it was because he'd been spending all his meals at the guild.

"I'll order some pizza." He offers.

"Cheese please!" Wendy put in her order with a helpful smile. Erza nodded in acceptance of this request.

When he got back from calling the pizza place, he found Erza and Wendy inspecting every single object in his house. They had formulated a pile of his clothes in the middle of the floor—presumably all of the clothes he'd lost while in his own house. The pile was already quite large, and he felt his cheeks burn in embarrassment when he realized his shirt from a few minutes ago was on top of the pile. Erza had changed the hoodie he gave her earlier for a new one, as it fit her better. Wendy still looked like she was wearing a dress instead of a shirt, but both girls were giggling ecstatically at something he couldn't see.

"What is it?" He asked, stepping forward, but Erza hid the picture from him.

"Not telling!" She sang, jumping up on his couch. Wendy glanced from one mage to another, her small face excited before a great fizzing sound went up and the power went out—plunging them all into darkness.

Wendy let out a shriek of fear, and Gray felt around in the dark for the small mage. Finding her—remembering her fear of the dark since the fight against Hades, he hugged her close, and she shook with shock and fear.

"Wendy?!" Erza cried out in alarm.

"I've got her," Gray answered quietly, "Follow the sound of my voice." She accidentally grabbed onto his hair and pulled, before he yanked her down and enfolded her in his arms as well. Both girls squashed against him, he found his way to the couch and sat down.

"Don't you have any candles?" Wendy asked in a quiet whisper.

"No." Gray answered, not revealing the answer to his hatred of fire, because Erza would surely slap him. "Just calm down—or try to go to sleep." He found himself humming a song—something Ur used to sing to him when the nightmares of Deliora kept him up at night. He felt Wendy's breathing go slow and deep, and her head rest more gently on his shoulder.

"Is she asleep?" Erza whispered.

"Yeah." He said, a couple moments passed and then—

"Gray?"

"Yeah?"

"We make a good team." He didn't ask her what she meant, because she was already drifting to sleep as well.


	4. Dear Gray (Part 1)

A/N: This is a AU. It's based off the song Dear Isabelle by Lee Dewyze.

There will be a part two tomorrow! (Unless everyone hates it and I get no reviews)

"You should really get rid off all this junk." Lucy Heartfilia said from behind her, and Erza whirled around, dropping the box of things she had gripped in her hand to the floor with a dull thud, various items spilling out like candy from a piñata.

"That's what I'm doing, "Erza protested, "before you barged in anyways." Lucy murmured an apology and bent down to help her pick up the fallen mementos.

"Hey, who's this?" She asked curiously, shoving a faded picture towards Erza. The scarlet haired girl raised it wearily to her eyes, expecting to see some horrible school picture of her in middle school. Instead a breath caught in her throat as she recognized the photo—and the people inside it.

One was her obviously, and the other was a boy. His arm was wrapped around her, hugging her body close to his, his raven hair tousled by the wind. His smile was brighter than she remembered, even from the faded picture he could feel it radiating towards her. The blue waters of the lake behind them were instantly familiar, although she had moved away five years ago.

"Who is he?" Lucy repeated her question, perhaps seeing the light in Erza's face. The moment her eyes broke contact with the paper however, her face fell once more.

"Someone special to me once."

"Before Jellal?"

"Before… Jellal was the reason I left—" Her voice broke off in a pathetic squeak and she shut her mouth quickly.

"Was he a keeper?" Was Lucy's next question, one that Erza didn't answer, instead stared once more at the picture.

…

Later that day, she had departed from Lucy and was walking to her favorite cake shop down the road. She was dressed in a navy sweater, the color similar to that of Gray's eyes. She had been thinking of him when she changed into warmer clothes earlier.

A couple walked past her, their hair red and black. The boy kissed the girl, and the laughing couple linked hands as they simply reveled in being with one another. Erza's eyes followed them all the way down the street, suddenly not in the mood for strawberry cheesecake. She turned her back on the shop (something she had never done in her life) and began to walk back the way she came—his voice ringing in her head.

_"This is about him isn't it? I've always been second best to him! Well I hope you're happy Erza, you can leave in peace now." _

They had been the perfect match. She met him in high school, accidentally knocking down her lunch so it splattered all over her shirt. He proceeded to give her his own shirt to wear instead, simply yanking it over his head like he walked around shirtless all the time. (Which she had eventually learned, _he did_.) She'd worn his shirt the rest of the day, and gave it back to him the next time they saw each other, freshly laundered and with much stammering in her speech. From that day onwards, they were best friends. There are something that just make you friends—like how magnets stick to each other. They did practically everything together—she was the one who got rid of his stalker, the one who he came to when nightmares of his Mother made him wake up screaming, throwing rocks at her window until she woke up. She tutored him when he began to fail Chemistry, and he taught her how to have fun. They spent as much time together as physically possible in the golden years, and one day, when they hiked up one of the biggest mountains surrounding their small town—he kissed her on the summit, smelling of pine cones and dirt and sweat his breath hot and ragged against her face as he proclaimed his love for her. She would have been a fool not to kiss him again and say those three words as well. They went on there first date not long after that, a beautiful night full of strawberry cheesecake and roses. They dated for three years, and everyone knew they would get married soon. They were perfect for each other.

Then Jellal came into the picture. He was Erza's friend from her childhood, someone that her young mind always thought of as her soul mate. He had found her in the middle of a date with Gray, and requested to talk with her. It took months, but eventually he wormed into their relationship and ripped it apart by convincing her that she was in love with him, not Gray. Their perfect couple had ended with screamed words and slamming doors.

Her and Jellal went out for two years after that, before she became Lucy's friend the blonde pointed out all the things Jellal was doing wrong to her. Cheating. Manipulation. Cruel behavior. Everything Gray strived not to be, Jellal was it.

She had been a fucking fool she realized now—her breakup with Gray was a mistake. Of course she had known that the moment she moved in with Jellal, five long years ago. In all those years, she hadn't looked up Gray once.

That was going to end today she decided. Before she could lose her momentum, she crossed into a coffee shop with computers across the street. She logged onto the Internet, and googled him.

The first website she clicked on was his blog, a nice place full of beautiful photography and art projects. The last post was from a place she recognized well. It was the view from their mountain, every bit as wonderful as she remembered it—and he was standing where they had stood, a new scar on his forehead but looking almost exactly the same.

_Sometimes visiting special places is more painful than it's worth. _Was the caption, and there was one comment.

_DRAGONSLAYAH101: Stop moping popsicle! None of us want to hear your crap!_

_ Gray Fullbuster: At least my pictures aren't all of food. _

Erza clicked on the comment box. Taking a deep breath, she typed in the name he only used when they were alone.

_Titiana: Dear Gray,_

_ Today I found this picture this faded picture of you and me on the lake, and I realized… well I'm not good at words but you knew that so I wrote this in hopes that you would read it someday. Every day since I was a fucking idiot and broke up with you, I haven't been able to get you out of my mind. I see you everywhere I look. Because you were right, he was manipulating me. He cheated on me and abused me and was everything you weren't. I liked to pretend you were him, and maybe I'm so entirely foolish for thinking you'll ever welcome me back—but if you want the full story meet me in the café we used to go to as kids this Saturday at 12. Please._

_ Erza _


	5. Dear Gray Pt 2

a/n: for all the Jellal fans, I'm just making him mean and despicable in this. I really have nothing against Jellal. He just fits into the villain slot, and I made him so mean and ugh I feel kinda bad... but oh well. Jellal is easy to make into the villain.

Guess what guys? Creative writing class is the best. Thanks to time in class, this part two is coming out on time! Wooo hooooo!

DON'T FORGET TO SEND ME PROMPTS! I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO WRITE TOMORROW!

Also, heads up! No update Friday, because I'm having a Fairy Tail marathon with my friends.

...

He didn't know why he came. Hands shoved into pockets, black hair that was so messy that he had shoved a knit hat on it to make him look more presentable, navy eyes pulled down into a scowl, as he fought the urge to take off his hoodie-which seriously felt like it was making everything hard to , while it may not surprise her to see him shirtless, it would probably give her some level of satisfaction.

Gray Fullbuster honestly didn't know what to expect from this meeting with his ex-girlfriend, saying she had things to tell him... the full story. He had seen that comment on his blog and fallen out of his desk chair... Erza apologizing for something she'd done? It was almost unheard of.

The cafe she had asked him to meet her at was a place he knew well. They used to go everyday after school, grab a coffee, sometimes a pastry, and then walk around town before letting themselves go home and be constricted by the strangling binds of homework. It was a cute shop, the front painted a cheery yellow, bright flowers in the window boxes. He hadn't set eyes upon it for five years-even though he still lived in the same town, he generally didn't go down this street.

He could see her sitting inside now, could see her plain and clear through the flat glass, sitting at a table with her ankles crossed and her brown eyes unfocused. He was so surprised that she'd come at all... not quite thinking that there was any truth in her words. Certainly it had been another lie.

She was just as beautiful as he remembered, long scarlet hair that she always refused to cut, brown eyes the color of oak wood, her lips a light pink, her body lean and muscular. The girl he loved. Before he could convince himself to run away screaming, he took several steps forward and wrenched open the cafe door-stepping inside.

There was a tinkling sound with his arrival, and Erza's head whipped up, her face going carefully blank at the sight of him. He moved to sit in the chair opposite her, placing his hands flat on the table so they wouldn't shake.

"Gray!" She spoke, her voice just as clear and commanding as he remembered. "I'm so glad you could make it."

"Yeah." He spoke with a voice lower than normal, so it wouldn't crack.

"How are you?" She asked next.

"I've been doing pretty good," He answered, not liking the stiff formal way they were talking. "And you?"

"I've been slowly getting better." She said, avoiding his eyes. "I'm not as-unhappy as I was with... him."

"By him do you mean Jellal?" Gray spoke the name she was obviously trying not to say. Erza closed her eyes, sighing through her mouth.

"Yes, I mean him." She responded, "But I don't want to talk about him."

"I do," He said, even though this was not how he originally hoped this would go "because it seems to me that he was the reason we broke up in the first place."

"He got inside my head," She whispered, her cheeks turning red with shame. "he convinced me that you didn't love me, that you were going to date Juvia-that unless I broke up with you quietly you would cheat on me."

"Erza, you know me." He said, speaking more soft now than before. "You know me and you believed that bullshit?"

"He had pictures." She said, "Pictures of you looking at other women-and I found them in a photoshop file on his desktop. I don't know what went wrong with him Gray-some lesson he missed, but he tricked me into believing he was better for me... but you're the best for me!"

He didn't say anything, but the waiter delivered their coffee. He frowned down at it, it was his favorite kind, but he didn't order. Erza smiled weakly at him.

"I remember that it was your favorite." She said.

"You remembered that after all these years?" He asked her, his voice this time cracking.

"Yeah. I used to hate it-but one day when Jellal and I got into this terrible fight over the pictures on his desktop,I tried it again. I didn't realise that your lips used to taste-" She broke off with an embarrassed squeak, and he chuckled.

"I haven't had it for years," He confessed, drinking it slowly, closing his eyes and relishing the taste. When he opened them again, Erza had tears in her eyes. Something inside him broke-because he had never seen her cry before. She embarrassedly wiped her eyes, but the tears kept coming.

"I know you probably can't give me a second chance, I was so cruel and I fucked up bad Gray, so bad-" but he had already walked around to where she sitting crying and wrapped his arms around her.

He had come into the cafe with the perfect plan of rejecting her, all planned out and perfect. He was going to spit in her face, tell her to go to hell. He wasn't at the time going to give her a second chance-but he realised he was still angry at her. Now looking at her, seeing the broken mess before him he forgave her. It was easier than he thought it would be-because he saw how much leaving him had hurt her. It didn't matter, he couldn't live without her any more. He was done trying.

She was full on sobbing now, crying into his shoulder and soaking his hoodie. He held her close, stroking her hair. He was going to make her Erza again, put together those broken pieces. When he pulled away slightly, he bent down so he was at level with ears.

"I'm going to give you a second chance." He told her.


	6. Meet the Boyfriend!

A/n: I'VE GOT EXTRA TIME IN DRIVERS ED PEOPLE SO THAT'S WHY THIS CHAPPIE IS UP SO FAST! This one was requested by Medelie and it's another AU!

This one may be more lighthearted and funny, but next time I got a request for ANGST! So be ready!

Another reminder I most likely won't be updating tomorrow!

A/N2: I wrote this pretty early in the morning... but here it is anyways because I don't have time to revise it completely.

...

Being friends with Erza should _never_ be considered easy. It wasn't just being friends with the girl herself, while that was terrifying on the best of days, it was her Father. He could really, quite honestly see where Erza got her stubborn, ungrateful, pain in the ass attitude from. Her Father was under the impression that any boy who even came within a couple feet of Erza was out to steal her virtue.

Now Gray had to admit that he could see why Erza's Father felt the need to worry. She was... _very attractive_, but guys stopped hitting on her the first day of Freshman year. It didn't take more than Erza's right hook to scare them away, and if Gray hadn't been her friend since they were eight he would have run for the hills.

Erza's Father still insisted that even though Erza had no interest in really dating... well anyone, that she stay away from any guys. Including Gray. Her Dad especially hated Gray, and so if they were going to hang out, it would be at his house. It didn't help that recently the two teenagers had started... dating. He was practically digging his own grave, and he swore he could see her old man's face everytime he kissed her. Not that her Dad knew they were dating of course.

You don't want to see your girlfriends Dads face everytime you kiss her. Especially not Mr. Scarlet's face.

Still, Erza had asked him to come over. It was two O'clock in the fucking morning and she said she needed him. Well shit. If he didn't go, he was going to lose the love of his life, and if he went he would probably get shot. Or ran through by a very large sword. Seriously, her Dad collected the things.

That was why he was standing outside of her window, trying to decide what way was the best to climb into the house. This was not going to be easy. There was a tree close enough that he could scale, and he'd have to practically jump through the window. He would never, ever forgive her for this. No matter what reason she had for calling him out of his warm snuggly bed in the middle of the night.

He began to climb the tree like a squirrel that's missing one leg, the only thing keeping him from breaking his neck was the thought that he Dad would surely find his broken body if he fell.  
>It took him around fifteen minutes of frantic scrabbling, swearing under his breath and scraping his knees before he got to the point where he had to jump through the window.<p>

He grabbed a branch and moved it so it knocked against the window, her happy face beamed at him from in her room when she saw him hanging like a fuckiing possum outside her window. This girl had issues if she thought this was attractive in any way.

She opened her window and took several paces back. Before he could lose his nerve he swung into her room, hitting his head on the window sill and collapsing on her carpet.

"I hate you." He whispered to her, panting heavily. She merely let out a quiet laugh, and helped him over to her bed.

"I love you." She promised him, kissing his nose. He forgave her. What could he say? He was a total pushover when it came to this girl. "But where is your shirt?

"Dammit!" He swore.

"It's okay," She said, "because I've got something to tell you."

"What?" He asked, looking at the ecstatic expression on her face.

"I'm moving out tomorrow." She said, wiggling her eyebrows. Gray's mouth fell open, and then he seized his girlfriend in a gigantic bug, his laughter muffled by her hair. "I am nineteen, I decided it's time."

"Um... hell yeah!" He exclaimed, "And you're going to move with me right? Right?"

"Of course idiot." She thwacked him on the head with the palm of her hand, "But you can't tell my Dad. If you do... we're both dead."

"Alright." He whispered, leaning forward so he could kiss her softly, and then more heatedly, as they started to move towards more familiar positions. Before they could get to much further, the door opened.

"Erza?" asked, his voice rough, "I thought I heard voices-WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE YOU IGNORANT LITTLE ASSHOLE YOU'RE THE ONE TAKING MY DAUGHTER AWAY FROM ME- HONEY GET MY SWORD!"

Let's just say... finding a shirtless guy on your daughter's bed can never look good, no matter how you look at it.


	7. Gray's Farewell

A/N: I'M BACKKKKKKK! DID YOU GUYS MISS ME AFTER MY ONE DAY ABSENSE? ;) Lol just so you know that will hardly ever happen because… .well I don't do to much ***blushes*** anyways, you can thank this tear jerker to PsychoticFreak8080 who gave me this wonderful prompt! I really need practice at Erza grieving for Gray anyways…. *EVIL LAUGHTER*. Just so you know, Erza and Gray's kids will always be Sakura and Skylar if I write about them.

**_Also, this has death in it. Death from illness specifically, so if you have a trigger towards that please don't read it._**

SEND ME PROMPTS MY LOVELY GRAYZAIANS!

…

"Mrs. Fullbuster?" Erza's head flicked up as the doctor entered the room, quietly closing the door behind him.

"That's me," she smiled weakly, folding her hands tightly in her lap so they couldn't shake. The fact that the scarlet haired woman was worn thin was obvious in the pallor of her face and the nails, which were bitten to the core. She looked like all the life had been drained from her face and body.

"My daughter's a huge fan of your guild," he said, noting the Fairy Tail mark on her arm. He didn't take a seat at his desk, instead dragging the chair so he was sitting in front of her, his eyes gazing into hers. Erza somehow knew what he was going to say before he said it. "Mrs. Fullbuster, I'm sorry, but it doesn't look like your husband is going to survive the next forty eight hours."

"He's been in critical condition for the past seven months," Erza whispered, her voice hard and her body stiff, "Surely there is something you've discovered—something you've figured out in that time—"

"Mrs. Fullbuster, there is nothing we can do," he said firmly.

"We moved out here so you could help him! He has two kids—you can't give up—"

"We're taking him off his treatment today, maybe you can travel home and say goodbye," he said sadly, "I hope you find happiness in these dark times Mrs. Fullbuster, he really was a great man."

Erza stared numbly at her hands and didn't answer.

…

"I have to tell you something." Erza's voice was clogged; she was trying desperately hard not to cry.

"Mom?" Fourteen-year-old Sakura Ur Fullbuster stared with dawning horror at her Mother, as if she knew the horrible news her Mother was about to tell her. The small raven-haired girl clenched her fist tightly, and white vapors of ice magic began to swirl upwards, but Erza suspected Sakura didn't even know she was doing it.

"What is it?" ten year old Skylar didn't understand as well as his sister, his navy eyes looking at his Mother with curiosity.

"It doesn't look like Dad's going to make it much longer," She said quietly, her eyes closing for a fraction of a second. "So we're taking him off the medicine and going back home so he can say goodbye."

"You're lying," Sakura said, her whole body shaking. "You have to be. There's no way Dad would just give in like that! He's going to be okay! HE HAS TO BE!" She screamed the last words, and their fish tank in the corner of the room, as well as all the glasses of water on the table, froze.

"Dad's not going to be here anymore?" Skylar asked quietly, his small face turned downwards, his scarlet hair seeming to wilt slightly. "He's not gonna see me become S-Class?"

Erza knelt down and pulled both of them into her arms. Sakura wasn't crying, still denying the reality, and shaking her head. Sky was crying, but silently, as if he was frightened of the noise of his sobs. Erza held them close—not allowing herself to cry.

…

"It's like we're on an adventure," Gray rasped dryly, his frail shoulders shaking as he coughed once more. Erza helped him into the carriage, wrapping a thick blanket around him. "I half-expect to see Natsu sitting across from us, vomiting like crazy." Erza laughed, trying to keep the light in her eyes—trying not to think of all the lasts she was having with him right now.

"C'mon Saki!" Erza snapped, and the raven-haired girl stepped into the carriage, a frustrated sigh leaving her lips.

"I don't see why we're taking Dad with us," she said, still in denial about the time limit they had hanging over their heads, "He shouldn't be away from his medication." Erza, Skylar nor Gray said anything—they seemed to have accepted that Sakura was going to keep on pretending that nothing was wrong.

Erza shut the carriage doors and leaned back against the seat, keeping the same careful smile plastered on to her face.

"How's your magic training going?" Gray asked both the kids, and Erza was trying so desperately not to think this was their last normal moment as a family.

"Awesome!" Skylar pumped his fist in the air, "Look Dad, watch this." The boy smirked for a moment, before a dagger appeared in his hand after some intense concentration. "I can summon knives now!" Gray grinned.

"That looks awesome!" Gray coughed again, and Erza quickly handed him a napkin, which he used to hide the fact he was now coughing up blood from his kids.

"Ice Make: flower!" Sakura chanted, and a beautiful rose-spiraled in-between her fingers, the ice perfect.

"And you're going to continue your training with Uncle Lyon?"

"No, I'm going to continue it with you." Sakura said stubbornly, looking out the window. Erza sighed, and Gray looked over at her.

"And My Lady?" He asked her, a quirky smile on his lips, "Have you improved on your already vast talent anymore?"

She laughed, and leaned her head on his shoulder. _This could be the last time he made her laugh._

…

"Popsicle you're back!" Natsu shouted with glee when he saw his best friend/rival, being greatly supported by Erza as they walked into the guild. "About time for you to kick this illness to the curb!"

Erza shook her head slowly at Natsu to let him know that this wasn't the cast, but the pink haired dragon slayer appeared not to notice. Lucy did though, and she quietly dissolved into tears, burying her face into Natsu's vest as she whispered what Erza had signified into his hear.

"I could still beat you any day." Gray said loudly, and when Natsu looked back at his friend, his face was no longer gleeful. The rest of the Guild had fallen silent as well, some crying, others remaining silent. "Fight me one last time Natsu? For old times sake?"

"Gray I don't think—"

"I'm already dying Erza." He reminded her gently, "It's not gonna affect anything."

"Just like old times." Natsu repeated, "Sure, why not?"

Gray smiled, and in a moment he froze the floor under Natsu's face, causing the pinkette to slip and slam his face against the slippery surface. If this had been a normal day, Natsu would have been up and raging in no time, but instead he accepted his defeat without anymore fighting.

"Finally won," Gray said, "That was on my bucket list." Mirajane began sobbing in the background, and excused herself. Sakura looked at him with confusion for a moment, but shook her head.

"I'll beat you one day too Uncle Natsu!" She cried, pointing a finger at the man. Natsu ruffled her hair.

"I'm sure you will Kiddo." He said, "but first—I think Igneel needs his ass whooped don't you think?" He gestured towards his son. Sakura nodded, and sprinted after the blonde haired boy—who began running at the sight of her.

…

In that day, Gray did many things on his 'bucket list'. He read the entirety of Lucy's in progress novel in two hours—and then demanded for her to tell him the ending. He danced with Wendy one last time, like they used to when she was just a small girl and they were bored on a mission. He taught Sakura several more ice magic techniques, played a game with Skylar, had a beer with Cana (even if he quickly threw it up afterwards because his stomach couldn't handle it). He gave Juvia a kiss on the cheek and hugged Lyon, he asked Levy to read to him like she did when they were all kids. He posed for a painting with Reedus, and had an arm wrestling match with Elfman (which the bigger man let him win and claimed it to be the best man there was). He helped Mira and Lisanna cook, talked with the exceeds, and said goodbye to everyone—even Sakura and Sky.

That was the hardest part for everyone, when Sky clung to his Father's side and sobbed—refusing to let go. When Sakura hugged him close, but merely looked confused when her Dad whispered to her that she would be the best Ice Mage in history, and he was so very proud of them both, and he would miss them so much, and how much he loved them. He loved them so much.

Then he limped out of the guildhall, taking Erza's hand and pulling her after him. They went to the riverbank, where they first became friends—even though it took a long time because Gray was wiped out from those days events.

"I didn't them to see me die." He whispered to her, lying back against the grass—and she knew he meant Sakura and Sky. "I don't want them to see me… fade, like I saw my parents."

"Okay," She said, choosing her words carefully.

"This isn't a time for that though," he said, "I don't want to talk about death just yet. I left birthday presents for the next sixty years for all of you. Mirajane has them."

"Sixty?" She asked in astonishment.

"Sixty. Right before I got super critical. I also took one hundred and eighty videos for all of you, on each of your birthdays."

"You're so crazy," She said, smiling.

"I will always remember that," he said, "you're smile… no matter where I go." She began to cry silently, then, and couldn't stop.

"My beautiful scarlet girl," He whispered, "Don't cry. Let me tell you a story." And he told her about the broken armor covered girl who gave to a guild, and the stripper that fell in love with her, he told her of all the adventures they had, of fighting dragons and battling dark guilds, fighting demons and kissing in the snow. Eventually at some point in the night, he couldn't talk anymore—his words dissolved into bloody awful coughs which rattled his whole body, he broke out in fevers and his body writhed in pain as his organs gave out, one by one—and the light faded from his dark blue eyes.

…

"I could tell you all about how brave Gray was, how he always jumped into battle without a second thought, but you all knew that already. He was amazing, and everyone knew that. There were things about Gray everyone else knew too, his stripping habit, his short temper with Natsu, his ability to be the most ignorant asshole and still make girls fall in love with him," There was a smattering of laughter, and Erza continued. "I could list all his great achievements, but you know them all. You know who Gray was, how he acted with his kids, the light that will now be missing from our Guild hall because of it. I wish—I wish I could pretend he was sleeping—"

"NO!" Someone shouted, and she turned to see Sakura sprinting in-between the rows of chairs, "NO HE'S NOT GONE! WHERE'S MY DADDY?! GIVE ME MY DADDY! " She screamed, and Erza abandoned her speech, and turned towards her daughter.

"Saki—" She began.

"No." Sakura cried, actually crying now—tears pouring down her face. "He can't be gone Mommy." She said like she was small child, as Erza enveloped her in a hug. "There's still so much he needs to do! He can't go now!"

"I know," Erza whispered, crying too—and one by one, everyone raised there fingers in the Fairy Tail salute, saying goodbye to their unique stripper ice mage.

I'M LYING IF I DIDN'T SAY I ALMOST CRIED WHILE WRITING THAT AND I WAS LISTENING TO RUE'S FAREWELL FROM THE HUNGER GAMES UM HELLO PEOPLE THIS HURTS


	8. The Best Boyfriend

A/N: Okay, I know I have requests, and I promise I will get to them, but today I'm behind on my other stories and I need to focus more on them. So here's a short little thing which hopefully will make you smileJ

...

"This is your girlfriend?" Lyon's voice was loud and obtuse as he stared at Erza with wide eyes, his mouth opening and closing like he was some great fish.

"Yes, you don't need to sound so surprised," Gray bit out, a sour expression filling his features as his oldest friend began to laugh.

"I never thought anyone would put up with your stripping habit!" he chuckled, looking at the woman Gray was referring to with admiring eyes. "I'm glad you found someone after my lovely Juvia-chan left you for me."

"How many time do I have to say I wasn't—"

"Gray," her arm squeezed on his arm, and her brown eyes narrowed as she stared up at him, "be nice."

"Of course Erza!" He exclaimed, and she looked happier as she buried her face into his arm, a contented sigh escaping her lips.

"He's a wonderful boyfriend," she confessed to Lyon, her brown eyes lighting up, "He carries my groceries, buys me armor, gives me all the strawberry cheesecake I want—" She trailed off with a happy smile.

"I must say I'm surprised," Lyon said, "I didn't think you had in you bastard." Gray was about to retaliate, but Erza tugged him away before he could.

"Do you really think I'm a great boyfriend?" He asked her.

"The best." She replied


	9. Secrets Out

A/N: I'M SO SORRY I'VE BEEN UNSUALLY BUSY TODAY AND YESTERDAY I WAS FOCUSED ON BREAKING POINT (For fans of that, a new chapter should hopefully be up tonight) SO THIS IS SHORTISH. I TRIED TO MAKE IT AT LEAST 400 WORDS, but tomorrow is a love triangle between Gray Erza and Jellal as requested. Then I have Crazyanime's prompt. After that I have a fantastic Harry Potter one planned. Seriously you all are going to love it,

Also, did anyone read the new chapter? Erza is such a badass.

To say it was awkward when Natsu and Lucy found them making out in an alleyway was perhaps the understatement of the century.

Gray and Erza had been in a secret relationship for the last two years, and so far they had done a very good job at covering it up. Nobody even knew, nor tried to know—simply because they thought it didn't exist. Still, sometimes it was so very hard not to grab one another's faces and just kiss in front of all watchful eyes. So whenever they wanted a kiss, or just to share a couple moment with one another—it was always in private—and they usually left the guild to do it.

"WHAT THE HELL MY EYES! "Lucy shrieked, quickly breaking up the embracing couple.

"Lucy it's not what you think!" Gray quickly lied, stepping away from Erza so his hands weren't around her waist. Natsu however, had a full on smirk upon his face. Then they noticed the camera hanging around his neck.

"Natsu," Erza said warningly, her eyes narrowing at the dragon slayer. The moment she said his name, the boy bolted—faster than anyone could catch him. Gray was after him in the next moment, closely followed by Erza.

"WHERE THE HELL DID HE GET A CAMERA?!" Erza shouted after her boyfriend, chasing him through the streets.

"THE BETTER QUESTION IS… WHERE DID NATSU LEARN HOW TO USE A CAMERA?!"

Natsu then did something that caused Gray to slam back into Erza, knocking her to the ground, his body on top of her. He turned over—as if trying to see who he was lying on top of—when their eyes met.

"Secrets out." She whispered, her brown eyes warming considerably. He grinned down at her, and got off of her.

"Let's go make out," he said, and she laughed.

"Quite the romantic you are," She said happily, leaning forward to press her lips against his.

They were the cutest couple anyone had ever seen.


	10. Love Triangle

A/n: No time to edit this, so I hope it's alright! Love you all and drop me a review if you'd like. I love hearing what you guy's thinkJ

This chapter is for **amnaK96 who seriously wrote me the longest review for Breaking Point and asdfghjkl.**

To say Erza looked exhausted was an understatement. She was a walking mess. Her scarlet hair was unbound, streaming down her back in tangled knots. Her brown eyes were shadowed, it almost looked like dirt was smeared underneath her lids. Her skin was a pale sickly color, her armor was practically hanging off by the straps—as if she had been to tired to fasten it properly.

Everyone stayed out of her way, their faces terrified when they spotted the S-class wizard stalking towards them. Everyone except for Mirajane, who simply looked the same as ever. As soon as Erza entered the guild everyone—even Natsu and Lucy who were arguing about the usual—fell silent. They could practically feel the negative energy radiating outwards from the woman.

"Hi Erza!" Mira waved cheerily, probably because she was the only one who could take her on in a fair fight.

Erza let her eyes flicker over the group of assembled guild members, and a brief flitting of relief let itself be shown on her pretty features. She ignored everyone else and walked to the bar, anyone in her way scrambling to get out of it.

"Good morning," she ground out to the barmaid, "can you get me a beer?"

"Sure thing," Mirajane took a tankard from the cabinet and filled it to the brim with foaming liquid. "What's on your mind today?"

_What was on her mind? _It could be a variety of things: a job, Gray, strawberry cheesecake, Jellal, her rent, Gray, Jellal, Gray, Jellal….Gellal!

She slammed her head on the table and let out a groan which attracted several odd looks considering she hadn't spoken a single word out loud.

"Bad day?" Mirajane questioned, her blue eyes all knowing.

"Yes," Erza moaned—although she couldn't begin to explain the events that unfolded the night previously….

_"You are utterly drunk," Erza said, her brown eyes narrowing slightly in distaste as she wrapped her arms around his body, holding him upright. _

_ "Yup," Gray slurred, as the scarlet haired mage practically dragged him out the guild hall per Mira's instructions, heading towards his house to make sure he got home safely. She could hear Juvia's frantic cries echoing after them—protesting that she hadn't been the one chosen to take her beloved Gray-sama home._

_ "You shouldn't have challenged Cana," she chided, but didn't really expect him to remember this in the morning._

_ "I didn't," he said, "I drank this on my own being."_

_ "That makes no sense," Erza sighed, "are you trying to say you did this to yourself on purpose?"_

_ "Yus." He said, burping. She could smell the alcohol on his breath—but it didn't matter to her at the moment. She wanted to know why he would even consider drinking himself to this… terrible state. _

_ "Why would you do that?" she asked him, like she would a small child._

_ "Because of you," he answered, his words still slurred. She stopped their awkward stooping walk for a moment—glancing down at him with wide brown eyes._

_ "Why me?" She questioned._

_ "You started dating that bluuee haired basstard. I hate him more than Natsuuu," he said bitterly, his whole face crumpling._

_ "Jellal?" she asked, frowning. Why would Gray have a problem with her dating Jellal?_

_ "Yeah, that son of a bitch doesn't deserve you."_

_ "And who does?" She asked him—writing this off as brotherly love._

_ "No one does," he pronounced properly, "but I belong with you." And he kissed her. _

_ Even in his drunk state, Gray was a good kisser. His lips were cool and tasted of beer—but he smelled like Gray—like pinecones and freshly fallen snow. She found herself kissing him back, her lips fitting his like a jigsaw puzzle._

Erza was confused. Her whole brain was muddled, because Gray had changed her. He'd captured her with her lips—and even if she'd left in him in the cold after the kiss occurred—it still haunted her now, she wanted more—

But she was supposed to be dating Jellal.

Part of her loved being with Jellal, he was shy and sweet, did everything she asked—got her strawberry cheesecake everyday, always made sure he never took things to far—and never ever fought with her. He seemed to take her words like something from the religious books, and did everything in his power to make her happy. With him she was content.

But Gray. _Gray_. He was brash and thoughtless, wasn't afraid of her breaking if he kissed to hard—was cold and sharp and had a temper to match hers. He dared to argue with her at times—he fought for what he believed in, he knocked over her cheesecake if he thought she was eating to much—made her laugh, never had once made her cry—and let's face it… the boy was sexy as hell with his shirt off. Like hot damn.

"You're probably facing some choices in your life right now Erza," Mirajane said slowly, polishing a glass carefully, as if she knew the dilemma going on in Erza's head. "But I want you to consider this."

Erza's eyes flickered up to consider her. "What?" she asked despite herself.

"Some people deserve to have their hearts broken—and they know they do. Some however, don't." and with that the barmaid marched off to fill Wakaba's mug.

Erza sighed again—and then it happened. Her moment of clarity.

"YOU STUPID IDIOT!"

"OH YEAH ICE PRICK?"

"WANNA GO FLAME BRAIN?"

Erza turned around—half a mind to tell them to shut the fuck up—when she realized what Gray was doing. He made a shield to prevent a chair from hitting her. He turned around, and she smiled.

"Thank you for saving me," she said, and he shrugged.

"It was only a chair."

_No it wasn't. _


	11. First Date

A/N: Okay this authors note is rather important. I won't be updating for the next week! Why? Because quite frankly this writing sucks, because I'm rushing to get it uploaded in time—so I'm going to do as much pre-writing as possible in the next few days okay? Then you can have better updates to read… and they'll be on time!

This is for Crazy Anime.

LEAVE ME A PROMPT!

"Gray Fullbuster I don't particularly like surprises," Erza ground out, trying once more to see through Gray's fingers, which covered her eyes like a mask. If she was being totally being honest though—she never had really a surprise like this (well unless you counted the messed up parts of her life when things took an unexpected turn) before. She didn't really know how to react.

"You've never had one before," he answered smartly back, and she glowered into his hands. He was such a smartass sometimes….

Still, she was rather surprised he'd picked up the courage enough to ask her at all—she was about to ask him out herself—and decided to trust him, this once, with the task of surprising her.

They'd taken a carriage from the guild for two hours, and now stepping out—she could taste the fresh mountain air on her lips. She still had no idea where they could possibly be—these things didn't come naturally to her.

"Okay, you can open your eyes—now!" Gray said, removing his hands from her face. She opened her eyes expectantly, and gasped in surprise.

"Oh Gray it's beautiful!" she gushed happily, her brown eyes lighting up. The backdrop was the beautiful southern mountain range a couple hours carriage ride from magnolia, the mountains tipped with freshly fallen snow. It looked beautifully picturesque, and the best part was a picnic blanket, spread over the grass, complete with a beautiful brown basket filled with goods.

"You really like it?" he questioned, a smile filling his features at her obvious delight.

"I've never had a picnic before," she gushed happily, practically skipping over to the blanket and sitting down, crossing her legs beneath her like a child. He chuckled at her, before moving to sit down beside her as well.

"I tried to make this as perfect—" then, as if some great force was laughing on their plans, the sky opened up and rain began to pour. Literally, there were blue skies one moment and the next it was pouring. (Juvia was sobbing as she watched the couple from behind the trees.)

"Damnit!" he swore, his whole face crumpling, "what the hell?" Erza didn't let it get her down. She smiled at him instead, her face glowing.

"It's okay," she said, "we can still have fun!" She reached for his hands and took them into his, "Haven't you heard all the romances that start in the rain?" Just as she said that—the rain stopped. Of course it did. While raining can be sexy, wearing wet clothes is mostly just irritable.

"Gray, your shirt." She said dryly, and he swore, searching frantically for his shirt. Just then, a giant monster came down from the mountains (a monster that suspiciously looked like a dragon costume breathing fire—and Erza could have sworn she saw a pink haired boy) came out the mountains and attacked them. Gray and Erza automatically went on the offensive, Erza whipping out all her swords and a white cloud of ice particles radiating rather scarily out from Gray's fist. At the sight of the two venomous mages, the 'dragon' turned and fled into the hills.

"NATSU YOU FUCKING IDIOT YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO RUN AWAY!" The could have sworn they heard Lucy shout. Surely Lucy and Natsu wouldn't be trying to ruin their date however though?

The rain began again, and Erza started to sneeze. This time Gray really did see Juvia, and he swore loudly when he saw she was accompanied by both Mirajane and Lisanna.

"Everyone is trying to ruin this," he said in realization, his face folding into the lines of despair.

"Surely not," Erza defended their friends, "They would never do something like that—this is the happiest thing—"

Just then Natsu and Lucy fell out of the trees, the blonde was attempting to get the pink haired boy out of his costume. Erza and Gray both openly stared at them, soaking wet, their food ruined—and their first date a disaster.

"What the hell is wrong with you all?" Gray said loud enough that everyone could hear. Then he began to walk—walk not ride in a carriage, back to Magnolia.

…

Erza went to Gray's the next morning. (After she gave everyone a fierce beating) She knocked loudly on the door, and the disgruntled ice mage opened.

"Hey Erza," he said nonchalantly, his dark blue eyes gazing over her coolly. She glared back at him.

"You ditched me on our date!" She protested, her voice coming out high and childish.

"You can't tell me that you actually want to go out with me after that—after they so blatantly don't want us to be together—"

"Who gives a damn what they think?" she asked him, "and if whenever we date it rains—I'll get used to it. I've heard kissing in the rain can be very romantic." She said the last part with a smile, and he looked surprised.

"So…"

"Let's have a second date," she said, holding out her hand for him to take, "Right now, before the others can formulate a plan to ruin it."

So they did, smiling and laughing the whole night long.


	12. Flaming Cheesecake

A/N: I lied. I'm going to pre-write as much as I can—but I can't NOT UPDATE FOR YOU GUYS IT LITERALLY DRIVES ME CRAZY. BTW, I got these from OTP prompts. SO wooo hooo!

Note: updates won't be every day. Probably every two days…maybe.

...

There is nothing more terrifying then being awoken by the screeching of a smoke alarm. Gray supposed that smoke alarms were good in some ways; they certainly saved them from being burned to death on several occasions—but that _sound._ It screeched into his ears and made his brain throb, and most certainly didn't give him room to think.

Groaning loudly, he attempted to get out of bed to perhaps evacuate—or at least get Erza and their two-year-old Sakura to evacuate while he froze whatever flames might be endangering their lives. Erza's side of the bed was cold—so she must have already heard the alarm and gotten Sakura out.

He moved slower than he probably should, smelling the smoke on the stale air. He was trying to pin point where it could be coming from—although it was rather difficult considering it seemed to be every where, hanging in the air like thick gray fog.

He finally found his way to the kitchen, where the smoke seemed to be thickest.

"DAMN CHEESECAKE!" A voice shouted—Erza. Swearing under his breath, cursing himself for marrying this woman, he changed directions and headed for the kitchen, knowing that was where she had to be.

"Stupid cheesecake!" A small tiny voice agreed, although it was muffled. Gray was instantly panicked; surely Erza would have thought to get Sakura out first right?

"Erza? Saki?" he called nervously, knowing Erza would murder him if he didn't say the right words. He stepped into the kitchen, and sighed loudly.

Erza was carefully carrying the smoking cheesecake pan to the sink, her whole face crinkled in concentration. Orange flames licked up from the burnt mess, and Erza was clad in her fire empress armor—mostly likely so the flames wouldn't hurt her. She was moving slow and steadily towards the sink. Sakura was sitting on the counter, a wet rag pressed to her face and mouth. Her small chubby legs swung back and forth, and the moment she saw Gray her whole face lit up.

"Papa!" She called, nearly dropping the rag as she waved. Gray scooped her up into his arms, and pressed her small face into his shoulder so she wouldn't inhale anymore smoke.

"Erza what the hell were you trying to do?" Gray asked, although his voice came out more amused than scolding.

"I was making strawberry cheesecake for Sakura!" she protested, sliding the pan into the sink and turning on the faucet. Steam rose up as the fire was extinguished, and Erza coughed.

"Are you sure it was for Sakura?" he teased, "Because it looks like it was for you."

"Yes!" Sakura added helpfully.

"That's my girl," Gray said, rubbing his daughter affectionately on the head, "I'm gonna call Juvia, so she can help me clear out this smoke."

"Aunt Juvia!" Sakura clapped her hands.

"I can handle it," Erza said firmly, and Gray sighed, "Just get Sakura out of here." Gray could tell something was up—so he did what he was told, going across the street to leave Sakura with Lucy and Natsu (they were awake because of their newborn Nashi) and went back into the house.

Erza had effectively cleared it of smoke somehow. She was standing at the sink, scraping burnt remains of cheesecake off the pan.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, wrapping his arms around her waist and hugging her to him.

"Nothing," she answered smartly, although she didn't sound right.

"Is it because you couldn't make a soufflé?" he teased her," It's okay, you can be my soufflé girl."

"It was cheesecake Gray."

"Really?"

"Yes really,"

"Are you sure?"

And then she was laughing, and he was too—and that was all that mattered.


	13. Strangers

A/N: I hate to admit this, but realistically I really can't update everyday. I'm literally writing during class when I need to be paying attention—and that's not good. So yeah. I don't know how regular updates will be, but I will make sure I get a new chapter up at least once a week.

I've always wanted to try a second person drabble thingie so here it is!

Send me prompts! I update quicker!

You watch her walk into the room. She's radiant, to everyone there—and most especially to you. Her scarlet hair hangs in beautiful fiery ropes down her back, her brown eyes framed by impossibly thick black lashes. She's your every dream, wrapped up in a thick wool coat, a matching knit cap on her hat. She's wearing jeans, which you find rather funny—she never seemed like the jeans type before, tucked into black combat boots.

She walks up to you with a smile. "Can I please get a piece of strawberry cheesecake?" She questions you. You nod eagerly, but before you can say anything else, she's telling you here name—although you already know it—and moving to sit down in one of the chairs by the window.

You go about making her order as quick as possible—noting once more that it's different than anything she's ordered before. You steal glances at her sitting figure every once and while—notice the slight frown on her face when she thinks no one is watching her, but you are. She looks slightly distraught, almost uncomfortable, as if she doesn't know what to do.

Her fingers pick at the cheap surface of the table, and you finish her order. Glancing around the café quietly, assessing that no one else is in here, or likely to come in what with the terrible weather and all—and deliver it to her personally. She glances up at you when you slide the order in front of her, her eyebrows coming together in surprise.

"Thank you," she says automatically.

"Mind if I join you?" The words are out of your mouth before you can stop them, but she doesn't seem to mind—instead gesturing for you to sit down.

"Be my guest," she says, staring at your nametag. "Gray is it?"

"That's me," you say, "What's on your mind?"

"Is it that obvious?" she laughs, "just got a lot on my mind I suppose."

"I know how you feel," you confide, "My girlfriend and I just broke up," blushing he stammers, "I don't know why-y I told you that."

"My fiancé and I just broke up," she shares in turn, "and I haven't even told my best friend that yet."

"Maybe all I needed was a stranger," you confide, a blush still rising to your cheeks.

She smiles at you.

"Maybe," is all she says.


	14. Advice

**_Guys, if you send me prompts I update a lot quicker_**. So send away! Also, if there is any Percy Jackson fans out there (that have read the Blood of Olympus) check out my newest story! And a new chapter of Breaking Point will be up tonight as well! Update Friday is here!

Love you all, and please send prompts!

"How do you know if you like someone?" Romeo Conbolt fidgeted slightly, his still boyish features contorted even though the question he had asked was simple in nature.

Gray Fullbuster, who had been peacefully sitting sipping his beer alone at one of the guild's rickety tables before the boy came up to him, found the liquid burning up his nose as he attempted not to spit it up. He spluttered for a moment, probably effectively embarrassing the young Conbolt further as he choked over the question. Eyes watering, he considered the boy. He often forgot that the small boy who used to follow around Natsu like a lost puppy was gone, replaced by this teenager who was coming to Gray for advice.

In all honesty, Gray wasn't quite sure why Romeo was asking him all of people. Gray had only had one or two girlfriends in the past and had been glaringly single for the past three years… well three years for him, ten for the rest of the world. Besides, why wasn't the young boy asking his idol, Natsu (not like that bastard knew anything about love) or better yet his own Father.

"Uh…" Gray trailed off awkwardly, his mind going infuriating blank.

"I'm only asking because it seems like you've liked Erza for a long time." The teenager confessed quietly, his eyes staring at the floor . Gray's eyes nearly popped out of his head. His hand moved to clap itself quickly over the young fire mages mouth. His eyes shot around the guild frantically, making sure no one was within ear shot to hear that comment. Luckily, the guild was at it's usual pitch and nobody was paying attention to the odd remark here and there. He released Romeo's mouth, and seized him around the wrist, effectively yanking him out the guildhall, abandoning his mug on the table.

The young boy looked terrified as Gray slammed the door behind him and descended upon him.

"Just where did you hear that?" He asked in a low growl, his eyes narrowing dangerously. He was trying to keep up his tough guy act so Romeo wouldn't delay his answer, but on the inside he felt as if his insides had been turned to soft delicate mush, impressionable by any fate Romeo may dictate onto him. If Romeo, a fourteen year old boy who knew nothing about love knew about this, how many others did as well? Had it fallen on her ears as well? Perhaps she was been laughing at him with Cana behind his back for months now! Maybe he was the only idiot in the whole place, thinking that his private thoughts were actually private. Maybe everything he ever thought was secret was in fact open for the world to laugh at it.

Romeo was visibly sweating, his black hair nearly standing on end as he splayed his fingers in mock defense, nearly backing into a clothesline in his desperation to escape the rage of the ice mage. His cheeks were turning red, probably because he was embarrassed he even asked the question in the first place.

"I suspected it!" He shouted. Gray stepped closer, his hands moving out to grip the boy's collar. He wasn't actually in face putting any pressure on the boy, because Romeo looked like he was about to wet his pants. Ha, take that Natsu.

"Does Erza know?" He demanded. That was really the only answer he cared about. He didn't want her to feel like he was forcing his feelings onto her, because he wasn't. He didn't have any attention… of well ever telling her.

"No I haven't told anyone!" Romeo promised, crossing his fingers over his hearts with a terrified look. "I mean, if I could figure it out I bet others know but-" He broke off nervously. Gray relaxed visibly, releasing his hold on the young mages collar.

"So you got the hots for Wendy?" Gray asked, smiling. Romeo cringed.

"It was that easy?" he replied, scratching the back of his head. Gray nodded, and the younger boy sighed.

Gray began to give the young boy advice, not knowing about the scarlet haired girl right behind the corner, having heard their whole conversation and was standing completely still—looking in shock towards the ice mage.


End file.
